Mr. Stoddard’s decision. As a postscript he
not a man to be satisfied with a nice profit in a added, that he’d bring two pals along to watch
deal that contained the elements of a “clean-
outside the house, and that if Mr. Stoddard
up.” He knew that men who offered bonds of
knew what was good for him he wouldn’t try
this kind at a knock down price were not in a
any rough stuff, or he, Mr. Scanlon, would
position to dictate, so he came back at Mr.
make it his business to put a lily in his, Mr.
Joseph Scanlon, General Delivery, New York,
Stoddard’s, hand forthwith.
with an offer of thirty-three cents on the dollar Mr. Stoddard smiled grimly at this
instead of thirty-three per cent, discount.
horticultural postscript. These underworld
Mr. Scanlon’s answer was a characters were a suspicious lot. He could typewritten howl of protest. He cut his price to afford to smile. He had no intention of pulling forty per cent, discount. Stoddard raised his
any rough stuff. He was quite satisfied with a
offer to forty cents on the dollar. They finally profit of one hundred thousand dollars and a
compromised on fifty cents, partly because the
whole skin.
sum represented by this amount—or
He did, however, take the precaution
$100,000— was within two thousand dollars
of having the money to pay for the bonds
Amazing Stories
14
delivered to his residence by an armored as if the mere act of speaking was an effort.
delivery car company, and immediately
Stoddard pointed to the wall-safe. “It’s
transferred it to his wall safe in the library.
in there.” He held out his hands for the brown
At eleven o’clock that evening, the
paper package. The man made no movement.
agreed time, his door bell rang. He answered it He said merely. “Let’s—see—it.”
himself. The man whom he let into the
Stoddard made a motion of
darkened hall wore a soft felt hat with a impatience.
brightly colored band, pulled down over his
“I play square,” he said.
eyes, dark tortoise-shell eyeglasses, a blue
The man reached for his hat, as if to
leave.
pair of light tan shoes. Under his arm he
“All right,” Stoddard grumbled, “I’ll
carried a bundle done up in common brown
show it to you.” He went to the safe and
wrapping paper, Mr. Stoddard’s swift glance
opened it, then flipped the bundle of bills in
of scrutiny noted the ominous bulge of the
the light of the table lamp, before laying them right hand pocket of the striped jacket.
down.
“Mr. Joseph Scanlon, I assume?” he
The man’s wizened hand holding the
asked, pleasantly.
brown paper package moved forward slowly.
The man nodded. He stood for a He pushed the parcel across the table to moment peering about the darkened hall in a
Stoddard, then put the hand into the bulging
listening attitude.
right hand pocket of his jacket and leaned
“Come into the library,” Stoddard said,
back in his chair.
leading the way. “We’re all alone,” he added,
Stoddard tore the brown paper off the
reassuringly. “My wife is out and the servants
parcel. He found that it contained some half a
have gone to bed.”
dozen neatly folded newspapers of a very,
recent issue.
THE man followed him slowly without a
“What—what’s this—?” He raised his
word. He walked with the peculiar shuffling
head with an angry snarl but the snarl turned
gait of advanced age. Seated opposite in the
to amazement when he found himself looking
better-lighted library, Stoddard got his first
into the bore of an automatic pistol which at
good look at him. He was a singularly the distance of the six feet that separated him depressing-looking man. The skin of his face
from his visitor, looked to his bulging eyes
which was of a waxy pallor, seemed to hang
like the end of a section of drain pipe.
in folds that apparently could not be smoothed
out. It gave him a peculiar wizened look in
in his slow, emotionless voice.
spite of the fact that he was quite evidently a Mr. Stoddard’s lower jaw dropped
young man. Although well above middle wide. His pudgy hand moved to the bundle of height he gave the appearance somehow of
currency, then came away with a quick cat-
being shrunken and his movements and like movement, as if it had been turned. He speech were abnormally deliberate. He sat took a step backward and slumped into his staring at Stoddard through his darkened chair and sat staring at his visitor with the eyeglasses, his lower lip drooping askew in an
beads of perspiration streaming down his
uncanny half imbecile way.
mottled face.
“Let’s see the bonds,” he said, finally.
The man arose slowly, reached for the
“Let’s see the jack,” the other replied
money and put it into his pocket. He stood
forcing out each word slowly in a hoarse voice
looking at Stoddard for a moment, then said in
The Grim Inheritance
15
his peculiar hoarse, brittle voice:
To Austin’s reply that he hadn’t, the
“The
telephone—wires—are—cut.
doctor said: “Stoddard and Company have
Stay—where—you—are—for—five—
failed.” He told Austin about the robbery and
minutes—or—my—pals—will—get you.”
gave him the details of the failure. “The police Without another word he backed out and left
think that he staged the holdup himself to
the room slowly. When Stoddard heard the
cover up his embezzlements of your money
front door close upon him he arose halfway in
and the girl, Ann Barren’s. His description of
his seat, but fear made him drop back. He
the alleged bandit was so fantastic, that the
knew that men of Joseph Scanlon’s type authorities smelled a rat and took charge of his would stop at nothing.
books. I’m afraid, my boy, that you’ll never
He sat staring at the bundle of get a red cent out of the mess.”
newspapers on the table until the minute hand
Austin drew a deep breath.
of the clock on the mantel had advanced five
“It was lucky I got the ten thousand
street screaming for the police.
that the operation will be a success, Doctor?
Half an hour later, while men from
I’m banking on it. I want to get married—to
headquarters were taking his incoherent Ann Barren.”
statement, a sloop with her canvas spread to
The doctor cleared his throat. He
the midnight breeze, stood up the East river,
seemed to be thinking.
past
Hell Gate and headed for the Long Island
“There’s not the slightest doubt about
Sound. The description which Stoddard gave
it, my boy,” he said, finally. “I’m more than
to the officers of the man who had robbed
ever convinced since my talk with Doctor
him, tallied perfectly with the man whose Swartz a few days ago.” He paused. “I’m glad hand was on the tiller of the boat.
the little girl will be provided for. I was
wondering what was going to become of her.”
Crane Returns from The Bermudas
Austin
smiled.
“She’s got a little money laid by that
SOME five weeks later, Austin Crane, Stoddard failed to get his hands on,” he bronzed and in fine fettle from his cruise to
replied, “we’ll make out.”
the Bermudas, presented himself at Doctor
The old physician gave him a quick,
Goldwin’s office, for the preliminary appraising look. His wise old eyes held examination before submitting to the eminent
Austin’s for a moment, then he drew his
foreign specialist’s knife. Doctor Goldwin’s
breath in sharply as if an idea had suddenly
face was grave.
struck him.
“You’ve heard the news, I suppose?”
“I—think you will,” he agreed, slowly.
the old physician asked.